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Trump, Reeducation and the Unhinged “Snowflake”

As the entry into the new year 2017 nears, the last topic in a blog post I wanted to be addressing is politics. The political campaigns and election run-up of 2016 have been psychologically, emotionally and physically draining to the bottom of my human reserve. Nevertheless, an editorial in last Saturday’s Kansas City Star by a local “snowflake” struck a raw nerve to such a degree that I seem to have no alternative. (The term “snowflake” is employed here in reference to the liberal, mollycoddled, Trump-hating millennials who demand “trigger warnings,” “safe spaces,” exemption from exposure to opposing opinions and become unhinged when things don’t unfold their way.) So here goes.

The editorial in question was written by a thirtyish female community organizer engaged in promoting various activist causes throughout the metro area. Her piece, titled “Don’t Take the Easy Way Out—We Must Resist,” consisted of an hysterical jeremiad against the president-elect and a call to action opposing each and every appointment, proposal and/or policy his administration might initiate. She compared the new tone in Washington with the worst of the past: “…we’ve normalized the brutal, the horrendous, the unconscionable before.” And concluded with the frantic appeal that historically a line of heroes has struggled against humanity’s horrors, looked at history’s ugly bits and refused to accept them. “They have resisted,” she declared. “As we can. And as we must.”

What is being resisted actually isn’t all that clear since New Yorker Donald Trump isn’t known for being a bona fide Republican, nor a true conservative, and in the past has supported some liberal positions and contributed funds to Democratic candidates including the Clintons. Furthermore, he hasn’t assumed office yet, hasn’t signed any bills and hasn’t formulated any policy positions not subject to amendment and tweaking.

The irony of this attitude and perspective continues to grow only stronger and deeper as days go by approaching the inauguration. I recall the Democratic outrage when Rush Limbaugh, commenting at the time on the new president Barack Obama, opined “I hope he fails.” Limbaugh was referring (admittedly in a provocative phrasing) to the president’s liberal socialist agenda, not his race or character, but the Democrats and media excoriated him on all counts for not giving the new leader the respect and wait-and-see welcome a winning candidate deserves. Then too, remember Hillary Clinton’s utter shock in the final debate when Donald Trump, in replying to the moderator’s question about accepting the election results, gave a provisional response. Clinton labeled Trump’s answer as “horrifying.” She went on to assert, “He’s talking down our democracy. And I for one am appalled.” So now we have Hillary-supporting millennials in the streets protesting and demonstrating against, you’ve got it right, the election results. I wonder how many can spell the word H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y?

If these snowflakes insist on defining the incoming administration as a totalitarian regime, perhaps we might adopt one tool thereof that could prove beneficial for all concerned. The reeducation camp. That seems to have worked quite successfully in Southeast Asia following the conclusion of the Vietnam war. Acquaintances of mine who have visited there recently report a happy, cohesive people with a society on the upswing. If we assume these snowflakes are simply the product of lax parental guidance, a “Howard Zinn” type of miseducation and echo-chamber liberal philosophy in the university system, then their attitudes might be reversible and their societal worth salvageable. In the interests of brotherly compassion and national unity, it certainly seems a possibility to be explored.

We might appoint the president of Hillsdale College, Larry P. Arnn, as the director of the program. His courses on the U. S. Constitution are nonpareil. And included in that subject area, of course, would be the required reading of KrisAnne Hall’s books, such as Sovereign Duty. Also, her DVD series The Roots of Liberty would be a great addition.

As for a revised grounding in American history, Rush Limbaugh’s Adventures of Rush Revere book series is tremendous—meticulously researched and written at a level any snowflake can comprehend. They’re bound to fall in love with the time-travel, talking horse Liberty, making the relearning experience both fun and painless. And on the subject of history, for the student more inclined to the audio form of learning, Glenn Beck’s program archive on The Blaze site has some superb segments on little known historical facts such as “The Part of the Story of America’s Atomic Attack on Japan You Never Heard in School.” Say what you will, Beck does indeed know his history.

For a clearer understanding of how a political mind like Hillary Clinton’s really functions, one couldn’t do better than Thomas Sowell’s books including the classic The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy. Good for an elucidation as well of how and why socialist policies ultimately fail.

Finally, to round out the snowflake’s comprehension of what truly constitutes politics and the mechanisms its practitioners employ, Robert J. Ringer’s libertarian classic (revised edition) Restoring the American Dream would be just the ticket. Not only dispelling puerile illusions regarding government, it also provides a clear blueprint for getting America back on track to a more simpatico existence for all.

Of course, as a supplemental reading list to assist holding the quick learner’s attention along the way, there’re always George Orwell’s classics Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm as well as Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Or perhaps even Frederic Bastiat’s The Law. And not to overlook the unequaled study of collectivism, The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek.

However, there will be, naturally, some snowflakes who simply won’t make the grade. Simply can’t move from emotion to logic, from envy to a full appreciation of human freedom. In view of what seems to be a growing rapprochement with Russia, there might be an exchange program established to ship them off to Siberia for a firsthand exposure to the end product of progressivism. Along with some of Solzhenitsyn’s volumes for reading during the cold Russian winter nights. The view from behind barbed wire can prove amazingly illuminating.

Mark Scheel grew up in east-Kansas farm country. He attended both Kansas State University and The University of Kansas, majoring in psychology and English. Prior to writing full time he served overseas with the American Red Cross in Vietnam, Thailand, West Germany and England, taught at Emporia State University and was an information specialist with the Johnson County Library in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. His stories, articles and poems have appeared in numerous magazines including The Little Balkans Review, Kansas Quarterly, The Cincinnati Poetry Review, The Kansas City Star, Heritage of Kansas, Samisdat, and Poet as well as many sites online such as Common Ground News. His literary activities have also involved membership in The Kansas Authors Club, a seat on the board of directors for Potpourri Publications Company and an editorial position with Kansas City Voices magazine. He co-authored the book Of Youth and the River: the Mississippi Adventure of Raymond Kurtz, Sr., and his collection of stories and poems, A Backward View, was awarded the 1998 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award. His most recent book is titled The Pebble: Life, Love, Politics and Geezer Wisdom.

Mark, I love your ability to quote and utilize philosophical constructs. I also believe that the term S_______ will stick as the world grows colder for them. So much so that we did not spell it out here so as not to offend anyone. Which as you know we strive to never do. We would use the term S word but we believe that’s already taken.

But our belief is the S_______s at least the ones you see talking on TV all get paid or someone very close to them gets paid via federal contracts or federal grants or jobs. And, all those things are about to go poof! That’s why they are really upset. It’s all about the Benjamins baby. Of course not all of the loyal followers get a check but then that is or was the object.

Thanks! Appreciate the compliment, although I’m sure not everyone would concur. Ha.

Yes, you’re absolutely correct on the sensitivity involved using S_______. Certainly wouldn’t want to drive any of the little darlings over the edge. And, yes, the bucks involved. Right again. Pay to play. Pay to protest. Pay, pay, pay.